Chapter Text
Harry Potter and the Eastern Sage
CHAPTER 40
Taken
Edward stared up at the ceiling of the Hospital wing bored out of his mind. Like Mustang had promised, Poppy had forced him to rest after his most recent overexertion. She was not too happy to see the state he was in after experiencing what should have been a fatal encounter with the acromantulas. He had been there for a few days already and the nurse was only just letting up on the reins.
“The Forbidden Forest is forbidden for a reason Mr. Elric!” she scolded him for the thousandth time after he was denied on being released. “I don’t even want to imagine where all that blood came from. You undoubtedly. First it was getting your head blown off. Now this. I am wondering if locking you up in Saint Mungo’s would suit you better!”
She was dressed in her usually scrub robes but she wore an old war helmet, and her wand was peeking out of the corner of her robes. Since the most recent attacks, she had been barricading the hospital wing in fear that the monster would come to finish off her petrified patients. It also meant that Edward didn’t have many visitors in his stay. The only people that he could talk to aside from the nurse were in no state to talk back. That didn’t stop him from catching Nick up on all that they were doing.
The nurse poured another potion for him to take. These were different than the ones that she usually gives him. He knew it was mostly because of the fact that his usual potions take mandrake, something that they were desperately running out of.
“When will the mandrakes be done?” Edward asked as he looked across the hospital ward at the frozen statues. Poppy shrugged tiredly.
“Pomona says any day now, but they will do no good if we can’t stop the monster.” A knock on the hospital ward door distracted the nurse. She tightened down her helmet and lifted her wand to go see who was at the door. While anyone would have been a fool to think that the monster would knock before entering, Edward understood her need for control over those trying times. He respected her courage and dedication to her patients. It made even an immortal alchemist feel safe.
Edward listened to the mumbles of voices as he sipped on his potion. His recovery from using the souls was slower than the last but the punishment of getting confined to the hospital ward at least saved him from the nagging of the stone.
“We told you to rest. Instead, you went to fight off a herd of acromantulas,” Hohenheim scolded him.
“You meant I fought off the acromantulas. Fullmetal just used me as cannon fodder,” Roy complained bitterly. Edward chuckled at his commanding officer’s lament. Even after a thousand years he still enjoyed being the bane of that man’s existence.
Suddenly a letter was being shoved into his face and Edward looked up to see Harry and Ron standing across from his hospital bed with Sock resting impatiently on their shoulders. It seemed that though Poppy ran a tight ship begrudgingly allowed some guests into the hospital ward. While Edward was not surprised to see them alive as Mustang had checked up on them after dropping him off in the hospital ward, he was not happy to see them there.
“Your owl came back, and Professor McGonagal sent us up to deliver it,” Harry said. Edward took the letter gratefully and then immediately smacked the two with it.
“You damn bobolynes!” he scolded them quietly. “Running around in the woods at night. It is like you want to get yourselves killed!”
“Bobolynes?” Ron asked in confusion which just made Edward smack him again with the letter.
“Idiots!” he clarified as Sock landed on his head, getting out of range of his weaponized correspondence. “I already told you before with that whole potion incident. This is none of your concern!”
“But Hagrid’s our friend and Hermione was attacked-“ Harry tried to defend but only got smacked once more as well.
“And you are children!” Edward yelled at them. “When will you learn to trust that adults are there to help you?”
“Sounds familiar to a scolding we once got,” he heard Alphonse reminisce. For better or for worse, these three Gryffindors were just like he was when he was younger.
“Professor, thank you… for saving us that is,” Ron said honestly, making Edward stop his rant. The kid looked pale after remembering what had happened in the forest a few nights ago. Along with being face to face with his worse fear, Ron had almost been bitten by one of the giant spiders had Edward not shoved him out of the way. He could still remember the large fang piercing his chest. Anyone but him would have died and it seemed the redhead was still coming to terms with that. Edward pinched his brow in aggravation.
“Are you two alright?” he settled for after finding himself unable to put his anger into any more useful words. The two kids nodded their heads sheepishly. In all of his frustration, Edward was at least relieved that they all got out in one piece. He couldn’t even begin to fathom why Hagrid thought it was a good idea to send children into the heart of an acromantula web.
“Good. Now, never let me catch you doing something stupid like this again,” he threatened. The two kids nodded their heads furiously as they sensed that it was not an empty threat. They took their house point deductions with grace and with a final scolding Edward sent them off to see their friend. They scurried off to Granger’s bedside, ashamed and upset that their attempts to help were in vain. Edward knew that feeling well. While they had risked everything going into the forest, they were nowhere closer to finding out what the monster was nor where it was lurking.
Sock pecked him on the head angrily and Edward cursed as the dang owl brought him back to the letter he was holding. It was rather heavy letter being made of several piece of parchment. The scratchy signature Edward recognized instantly from old field notes he used to write in the field.
“Edward, it’s from Newt! He responded!” Alphonse exclaimed. Edward knew his excitement as he realized his friend had sent a response with urgency. Sock had flown all the way to Dorset and back within the span of just a few days to get him that letter. Knowing that he promised the small owl a few treats, he took the thing off his head.
“You know where the bag is on my desk, have the whole thing and rest. You did good,” he said to the thing. His honesty was met with another harsh peck on his hand as the owl flew out of the opened window of the hospital ward. Alphonse commented something about being nicer to the blasted bird but what else could he do? He was already giving the dang thing his entire paycheck in treats. He let his brother talk eagerly about proper owl care as he opened the letter and began to read.
Mr. Edward Elric,
I am glad to hear that you managed to find your brother, though it took a lot longer than I bet you were hoping. My misadventures probably didn’t do you any favors, especially after you fell into the canyon. I am glad to hear that you are all in one piece and doing well. Not many creatures can claim that.
Your letter was a surprise and of great concern. I understand the difficulty of getting a first edition copy of my book because I made sure that it was difficult to come by. I bought most copies myself to get them off the shelf but I must have missed the one in my very own school library. The page which was undoubtedly torn out was about Basilisks. There is no other creature that I know of that can match the phenomena you had written in your letter. It’s a manmade monstrosity which is why I omitted it from any future editions of the book. Too many people decided to try and breed them themselves.
I enclosed the original transcript from the book below, but I must warn you that if you suspect the castle is infested by a basilisk, there are only two remedies: the cry of a rooster, or to run. You know me as a friend who cares for all creatures. That must make this message all the more concerning. Basilisks are not to be trifled with and whomever is unleashing this beast doubly so. Evacuate the school immediately. I will be advising the ministry on your behalf about this
God speed and give your owl an extra treat for me.
Respectfully, Your Friend,
Newt Scamander
Edward sat back in shock as he finished his friend’s letter. A Basilisk. It was a basilisk. Edward riffled through the letter and scanned the transcribed page of the book. Spiders flee from it, a deadly stare, lived for hundreds of years. Yes. It was a basilisk, and they were in more trouble than they thought.
He scrambled out of bed, stuffing the letter into his pocket and bee lining it towards the doors. Minerva would be either in the headmaster’s office or her own. He needed to warn her immediately to evacuate the school.
“Mr. Elric, you can’t leave. You’re still-“ Poppy tried to stop him as he moved to leave the ward. He sent her one determined glare and the woman instantly bit her lip, backing down.
He tore through the corridors of the castle towards the stairs still debating on whether to head up to the headmaster’s office or down to Minerva’s. Students scattered as they saw him and he ordered everyone he passed to get back to their dormitories quickly. This wasn’t the time to be caught out now that he knew there was a basilisk on the loose.
“But if it kills with its stare, how come everyone is petrified?” Alphonse asked him as he skirted around a corner, nearly falling into the open door of the armory. He grabbed a sword off one of the suits that Peeves was actively dismantling. Though he didn’t know if it would be useful, he knew it was better than not having one at all.
“Maybe… no one looked at it,” he huffed as he continued to run. “There was water on the floor and then the mirror… Could have been the reflection diluting its lethality.”
“But what about that Hufflepuff student?”
“Sir Porpington must have been in the way,” he said as he turned down a back corridor opting to check Minerva’s office first. He would tell her, they would evacuate the school, and an extermination team will come in. Everything would be fine. Just as he was running down the second-floor hallway, a haunting whisper pulled him to a stop.
“Hsst Shashe, eressto ska eustae.” The chill of the voice sent a ripple up his spine.
“Not now,” Edward breathed. The voice followed him as he ran. Now that he knew what was on the other side, he felt a fear fill him. The stone grew unsettled. With the whispered worries filling his ears from the stone, all he could do was run faster. He needed to get to McGonagall.
He turned around the corner and screeched to a halt. Outside of the girl’s bathroom stood the young Ginny Weasley. Edward knew her from his first-year class. While she was quiet and nervous most of the time, what he saw of her now greatly disturbed him. Her hands were coated in gaudy red paint as she carved a message onto the walls. Her skin was pale, and her eyes blankly transfixed on the work in front of her. She didn’t react as he approached. She was fully entranced.
“Ginny…. Ginny!” Edward cried as he grabbed the girl by the shoulders. She blinked blearily as Edward shook her and she woke up from whatever daze she was under. He scanned her for any injuries but aside from looking like she was on the verge of death, she was fine.
“Are you alright?” he asked as he looked over his shoulder. The whispers of the Basilisk still filled the hallways and made him even more paranoid as they stood there. The girl’s eyes started to well up and she began crying. She threw her arms around him and hugged him, desperate to soothe the fear that was in her. Edward could feel her shaking in his arms. She was terrified.
“Professor… Professor, I’m sorry… I’m sorry,” she stumbled.
“Hey, it’s alright. Come on. You need to go to the hospital ward. It’s not safe-“
“No! Professor, it’s coming. It’s coming. It’s after you.”
“Me?” Edward asked in shock and the girl just cried harder.
“I-I tried to warn them but… but my brothers wouldn’t listen. I… I can’t remember. I can’t remember but… The chamber… it wants you.”
“The chamber? But…,” Edward gasped as he read what Ginny was writing on the wall.
‘The heir will be immortalized forever.’ His chest tightened as he held onto her. This girl was writing a death message on the walls. She was the heir. She was the one opening the chamber. A roar of complaints picked up in the stone as the thought was completely inconceivable. Edward closed his eyes as he grew confused in the flurry of the stone’s fear. How could it be her? She was a gentle, young, nervous first year. She was not capable of doing this, could she?
“Weasley, are you... did you open the chamber?” he asked quietly, needing to know the truth.
“I.. I’m sorry… sorry,” Edward heard her cry. “I don’t remember…. I thought I was dreaming…. A nightmare… then I wake up and its true. It’s coming. I know it is. It’s coming.” She started to panic.
“Come on. It’s okay. I am going to sort this out, but you need to get to the hospital ward and-“ Edward started to consol but suddenly she screamed. He turned around just to come face to face with a giant serpent. Yellow eyes pierced into him. His chest tightened and the air got caught in his lungs. He felt like he was going to suffocate in fear.
“Edward, look away, it’s killing you!” Edward closed his eyes and tore his gaze off the deadly stare of the Basilisk just as it started to charge through the corridor. The air returned to his lungs as the image of yellow faded from his eyes. He heard the sliding of scales against the stone floor charging closer and closer.
“Professor!” Ginny cried. He tightened his grip on the sword and moved to get his student behind him but before he could defend them, he was shoved hard out of the way. He smacked into the hard wall just as the long body of the snake sped by. There was a scream and Edward looked up to see the snake ensnare his student. It spun around and bolted down the corridor, carrying its prey in its coils.
“Ginny!” Edward roared as he stood up. He slashed out at the monster, but the tail whipped out and slammed him back into the wall once more. His head smacked against the stone and stars filled his vision. He collapsed to the ground dazed, the stone roared in his ears and when he blinked the stars away the corridor was empty.
“No, No,” he wheezed and staggered to his feet. The basilisk was gone and so was his student. He staggered down the hallway, reeling in his spinning head as he tried to find some sign of the monster. The beast was huge. 50ft at least and yet in the narrow hallway of the castle, it was gone. He cursed and cursed as he ran, opening every door he could, begging to find his student. She was so scared. He couldn’t let that monster take her.
“Where the hell did it go?!” he roared, the fear of losing another student settled like a knife in his chest. He was right there. He should have seen where they went. They shouldn’t have been able to go far. And yet, there was nothing. They were gone.
……….
“All students get to your dormitories immediately. Teachers to the staff room. Now!” Harry and Ron heard Edward’s voice magically amplify through the castle. He sounded angry, desperate, and that in an immortal man wasn’t a good sign. Despite their promise to Edward to stop meddling they had just figured out what the monster was in the chamber of secrets. They had found Hermione’s note jumbled in her hand. It was a basilisk, and it travelled through the plumbing. Taking their professor’s advice, they had immediately run to the staff room to find Professor McGonagall as it was almost break and they knew she liked to spend some time in there.
The staffroom was empty when they got there but they knew after the announcement that it wouldn’t be for long. Harry looked to his friend.
“It can’t be another attack, can it?”
“We should go back to the dormitory then. Professor Elric sounded off. We can’t let him catch us out again. Not after the forest,” Ron said, still feeling awful for Elric taking the fall for him with that spider. Harry understood his reluctance to bend the rules again, but they knew important information that the teachers needed to know. Spotting a wardrobe in the corner of the staff room, Harry nodded to it.
“Let’s hide in there. We can see what this is about. If they don’t know about the chamber we can tell them. If not, we won’t get caught out of the dormitories,” he offered the middle option. Ron, knowing that it was important, agreed and they hid themselves amongst the old robes in the wardrobe. Within only a few minutes, they heard the doors of the staffroom bang open and worried voices of teachers filled the room.
“Edward, what is it?” Harry heard the worried voice of Professor McGonagall ask.
“Minerva, it took a student-“ they heard Professor Elric wheeze out of breath.
“It-It what?!” Professor Flitwick gasped in shock. Harry could see him through the crack in the wardrobe sink the short distance to the floor, weak kneed in fear. Edward on the other hand looked completely in disarray, far from what he had looked like when he left the hospital ward earlier. He had red paint smeared on his face and robes. It was a similar scene as to when they stumbled upon him in the corridor after Halloween. This time though, he looked distraught and rightfully so. Harry stole a glance at Ron who was equally as worried.
“It’s a basilisk. That’s the monster. I saw it with my own eyes. It’s what’s been attacking Hogwarts and it took a student-“
“It took a student? Who is it?” Professor McGonagall asked.
“Ginny Weasley.” Harry felt Ron collapse silently next to him to the floor of the wardrobe. He was stunned in shock. Murmurs picked up amongst the faculty as Edward explained to them what had happened.
“I was on my way to find you Minerva but… I tried to stop it but… I don’t know where they went. They’re gone.” Professor McGonagall was a Gryffindor true and true. Harry never knew a scarier woman and yet he saw in her for the first time trepidation.
“I want all the House Heads to go to the dormitories and have the students pack their things. We will send them all home in the morning,” she ordered the faculty grimly. “This is the end of Hogwarts-“
Her words were cut off as the staffroom door was thrown open again. It reverberated as it bashed into the wall with little worry as to whom was behind it. Harry had secretly hoped it was Dumbledore returning to save the school but unfortunately it was Lockhart.
“So sorry to be late. I was just tidying up in the bathroom. What did I miss? I am sure I can have this all sorted in a jiffy,” the Professor said, all smiles to him. The frightened air that filled the room, to Harry’s surprise turned sour as he entered. A snarl grew on Professor Elric’s face as it looked like he was going to pounce on the man. Ron seemed to be in agreeance with him as Harry had to hold him back from busting out of the wardrobe.
“Thank god you are here,” Snape said, holding Elric back by the neck of his cape. The rest of the faculty looked at the potion’s professor in surprise. Harry did too as he never heard the man be grateful in his life. “You are the very man we need.” Lockhart smiled and tugged thoughtfully at the cuff of his robe.
“Of course I am. What is this little problem you got the school worked up about. I am sure it is something that I can handle.”
“A girl has been snatched by the monster and taken to the Chamber of Secrets. You said you knew where the entrance was at dinner last night.”
“I…I did? I don’t remember-“
“Yes you did!” Professor Sprout chipped in to jog his memory. Lockhart’s smug smile wilted as the other faculty added their recurrence of their past conversations.
“Well, if you remember it like that-“
“Then we are in agreeance. Gilderoy, we will leave it to you. Tonight you can tackle the monster all by yourself,” McGonagall said. “You can save the school.” Harry thought that Lockhart was about to faint with how pale he became. The man looked around desperately for help but no one aided him. He backed up, his bold entrance now replaced with a rather feeble and flundered retreat.
“Of course…. What… whatever you say. I’ll-I’ll be in my office getting ready then,” Lockhart said, his bravado wavering in his voice. He quickly scurried out of the room with the tails of his robes tucked between his legs. The instant he was gone, the other faculty let out a sigh of relief.
“Thank you, Severus,” McGonagall said gratefully. “Now that we don’t have to worry about having him under out boots, we can make this evacuation as quick as possible. Heads of houses go to the dormitories. All other faculty, search every crevice of the castle. We need to make sure that no student is left behind.” With their orders, the other faculty members drew in what courage they could and left one by one. As the last few teachers were filing out, Elric approached McGonagall.
“Minerva, we need to send someone to find that girl. She pushed me out of the way of that beast. She said it was after me and saved me from being taken. We can’t just leave her,” he said, concern filling his voice.
“It was after you?” she asked in shock and Elric nodded his head. McGonagall’s face tightened in thought. “May I talk to you in the headmaster’s office, Edward?” she said after a moment. “I need to tell you something.” No sooner did the two of them leave the staffroom than Harry and Ron tumble out of the wardrobe.
“My sister, Harry. It’s got my bloody sister,” Ron trembled. “I mean… she’s a pureblood. It.. shouldn’t have taken her. She should have been safe.”
“Professor Elric said that she pushed him out of the way. She might not have been the target,” he reassured him though he didn’t know how much that fact help. Ginny was still gone. While Professor Elric was certain that she was still alive when she was taken, Harry didn’t know how long she would survive. The basilisk could eat her or the very least look at her and it would all be over. He didn’t know how reassuring that was at all.
“We need to see Lockhart. Tell him what we know. He’s going to try and save her,” Ron said firmly. Despite wanting to obey the rules and return to the common room before the staff meeting, it seemed that that didn’t matter anymore now that his sister was in danger. While the faculty appeared to at least know it was a Basilisk, Harry and Ron knew at the very least where the Chamber might be. Hermione had thought of everything before she had become petrified. They could help by leading Lockhart in the right direction then let the teachers take it from there. Not willing to sit in the common room and do nothing, Harry agreed.
They carefully snuck through the hallways, dodging the faculty members who were searching the crevices of the castle for missing students. Lockhart’s office was on the second floor right down the hall from the girl’s bathroom. They slipped quietly up the staircase. The dark red message on the corridor wall sent shivers up their spine. The paint was still fresh. It wasn’t long since the attack and yet they felt all the more like they were running out of time.
When they got to the office, someone was definitely inside as they heard loud thumps and worried mutters through the door. Harry reached out and knocked, the noise going silent.
“Oh.. uh.. Potter… You’re supposed to be in your dormitory,” Lockhart said after he opened the door to see them on the other side.
“Professor, we got information for you that we think will help-“
“Are you packing?” Ron cut him off. Harry looked at where his friend was furiously pointing into the man’s office. It was true. The room had been completely torn apart from its lavished decorations and two large trunks stood open, haphazardly stuffed with whatever the professor could find.
“Er, well, yes,” Lockhart stumbled to excuse himself. “I had an urgent call… from the ministry! Yes. I need to go.”
“But… my sister! You’re supposed to help her!”
“No one regrets more than I the loss of your sister but I have an unavoidable appointment that I-“
“She’s not dead!” Ron roared. “You’re running away! You’re supposed to be the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher and now you’re running away!”
“Professor, why are you doing this? After all the stuff in your books-“
“They can be misleading,” Lockhart defended.
“You wrote them!” Ron started to roll up his sleeves, ready to fight a man nearly twice their age. Lockhart took an intimidated step back before Harry could hold his friend back by the hem of his robe.
“They were just exaggerations. Story tellings of other great wizards who didn’t have the face for the press. I simply borrowed their stories to make them more believable. You wouldn’t think a scrooge of a witch could have fought off a werewolf. Me on the other hand? Now that’s a hero!” Lockhart chuckled nervously.
“You’re a fraud!” Harry exclaimed in awe as he suddenly connected the dots. Lockhart shrugged his shoulders knowing he was caught.
“Harry, forget what Professor Elric said. This teacher isn’t going to help us. We should just save Ginny ourselves,” Ron scoffed.
“What a great idea. You know that Professor Elric is Paracelsus? It’s hard to argue with that ancient wisdom of his-“
“He’s not ancient!” they scolded Lockhart together. Harry pulled out his wand and pointed it at the buffoon of a man and his friend did the same. What little courage the professor had went out the window as he was under the guard of two wands.
“Come on, boys,” Lockhart nervously stammered as he put his hands up in surrender. “It isn’t like I could save her. I don’t even know where the chamber is. There is nothing I can really do here.”
“You are in luck, Professor,” Harry said cooly. “We think we do know where it is. Let’s go.”
……………………
“Stop scratching your face,” Winry scolded him and Edward grabbed the edge of his red cloak instead, forcing his hands to wring it instead of his face. He felt the dried red paint on him where the girl had accidentally smeared it. It was fresh but slowly drying. Time was running out.
“Edward, what you are saying is concerning. Are you certain that Weasley said it wanted you?” Minerva asked. Edward nodded his head. “Did she say what for?”
“Professor Slytherin had wanted to use my alchemy and my immortality before to cleanse the school. I am sure, if he truly had made this chamber, that he still intends for me to do it,” he answered honestly.
“But… how would they-“
“Minerva, it wouldn’t be the first time I would be someone else’s weapon. I have killed armies in the crusades under the hand of King Arthur,” he admitted to her. A look of shock fell over her and Edward looked away in shame. He didn’t want to tell her that. While he told stories of the crusades in the history of magic class, he could never bring himself to tell the true casualties of war that were a result of his hand. Even more, it hurt to admit it to a friend.
“Slytherin sold me back to the King the first time,” he continued despite his friend’s horror. “He might be dead but his Heir still exists. Weasley was the one who opened the chamber, but I don’t think she is the heir. Whomever is, intends to clean the school. They need to be stopped.”
“In that case, I need you to evacuate with the students. I can’t have them try again,” Minerva ordered him stiffly.
“Weasley is still down there. She’s still alive. I need to go down and save her-“
“Edward, I can’t have you go down there knowing that you’re the target. If what you said is true, I can’t let you be used like a weapon again! I won’t! You need to protect yourself and the castle and leave with the students,” she cut him off sternly.
“Protect myself? I am immortal! Who’s going to protect her? Lockhart?!” Edward exclaimed, distraught. “She was so scared, Minerva. I can’t just leave her to die!” Minerva bit her lip, but there didn’t seem to be another way around it. Either Edward risked falling into the hands of the heir all over again just to save one girl, or they saved the castle and let her die. Edward remembered the terror in his student’s eyes as she hugged him. The girl was terrified and he failed to protect her. However, there didn’t seem to be a right choice in the matter.
“Edward, I know you always try to save everyone. It’s something you haven’t grown out of, but sometimes this is just how it is,” his father tried to reason with him. Edward didn’t want to hear it. It couldn’t be true. Not now. As he looked around for some sort of answer, he spotted a faint glimmer out of the corner of his eye. It was the Mirror of Erised.
“There is something I have to tell you, Edward,” Minerva sighed tiredly as she seemed to catch onto what he was thinking. She walked over to the mirror and right before him, she slipped her hand through the glass and withdrew the mask. Edward felt the air leave his lungs as his eyes widened in shock. Minerva knew the mask was there. Seeing the cool twisted metal, Edward couldn’t help but take a staggering step back from her.
“Before Albus had left, he told me it was here and how to get it. I didn’t understand why he would tell me, but I guess now I do,” she said worriedly. “He wanted me to be able to have it incase… incase it was ever needed.” She moved back over to him but Edward kept his distance. He didn’t understand why she would need it. What was she going to do? Try to trap him in order to force him to leave? Subdue him before he becomes a weapon? He shook his head. No. That wasn’t like her. She was his friend. She couldn’t have pulled the mask out if she was going to use it. That wasn’t how the mirror worked. Yet, it wouldn’t have been the first time that Albus lied to him.
“Minerva,” he whispered cautiously, the muscles in his body stiff. Minerva shook her head in despair but instead of trying to trap him in it, she simply set it down on the headmaster’s desk.
“Go, save that girl, Edward,” she ordered him softly. “If… If anything goes wrong… you don’t have to worry about being used. You will be okay.” Edward found his jaw dropping as Minerva had told him that she would be there for him. She would have the mask not to control him but to subdue him in the event that he should be controlled. He wouldn’t have to worry about hurting anyone.
Throughout the school year, many times Minerva had to make the choice to see him as either a person or a weapon. Every single time she chose right. Edward found him closing the few steps between them and hugging the young witch. Minerva gasped in surprise but slowly returned the gesture warmly. He was ashamed to have ever doubted her for there was nothing he was more grateful for than to have a friend like her.
“I think that was enough of that,” Minerva sniffled stiffly, as she straightened out her hat. She seemed moved just as much as she was. “You can’t wait here all day. If you can’t help that girl, no one can.” Edward nodded his head, taking her order and left. He ran down the steps of the headmaster’s tower and through the corridors of the castle. Time was of the essence and he knew that there was a student counting on him to help her.
“Brother, do you know where the Chamber is? Even though we know the monster is a basilisk, how do you know where to find her?” Alphonse asked anxiously.
“I am not sure but… If this chamber is as precious to Slytherin as I think, he wouldn’t want it to leave his sight,” he said.
“His office? But the castle changed. It’s no longer here.”
“Not quite,” he said as he pulled to a stop outside the second-floor bathroom.